NMBA DEVELOPMENT OF MIDWIFE STANDARDS FOR PRACTICE CoNNMO MEETING, SYDNEY OCTOBER 2016
Project team A/Professor Cate Nagle, Deakin University A/Professor Marie Heartfield, Deakin University Prof Susan McDonald, La Trobe University Dr Jane Morrow, Australian Catholic University Dr Gina Kruger, Victoria University Ms Julianne Bryce, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation Prof Melanie Birks, James Cook University Ms Rhian Cramer, Federation University Ms Sara Stelfox, Deakin University Ms Nicki Hartney, Deakin University.
Project overview What: Develop Midwife standards for practice as part of the regulatory framework for assessing the midwife s competence to practise. Review the current NMBA National competency standards for the midwife (2006). Recommend standards that reflect current (not aspirational) evidence-based midwifery practice, are up-todate, meet legislative requirements & align with the other NMBA standards for practice. Who: Project team working with NMBA, the Expert Advisory Group & midwifery stakeholders to produce outcomes for midwives, student midwives, midwifery education providers & accreditors, midwifery regulators, employers, policy makers & professional & industrial organisations, as well as consumers & other public stakeholders.
Project overview (continued) Why: Midwife standards for practice provide a framework for midwives obligations to be competent & safe to practice, across a diversity of roles in Australia. These are obligations for midwives practicing in hospital care models, midwives in private practice, midwifery students, educators, researchers & policy developers. The standards provide guidance for consumers & other stakeholders in midwifery practice including regulation, education & employment. How: Project design will generate & integrate scientific, professional & stakeholder knowledge (Head 2008, 2010) to address the project scope.
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Project phases Project commenced 4/07/2016 Project for completion March 2018 RESEARCH July Dec 2016 CONSULT Jan-Aug 2017 VALIDATE Sept 2017- Jan 2018 Expert Advisory Group consultation
Project phases Phase one Literature review (national & international peer reviewed & web sourced reports & standards) Interviews (midwifery policy advisors, developers, CNMOs) Observations (nationally in Oct-Nov 2016 after all ethics & research governance site approvals). Phase two Preliminary consultation (written & online survey), March-April 2017 Public consultation (structured online survey), July-August 2017. Phase three Validation of Midwife standards for practice (nationally in clinical & management, education, research & policy development settings (Dec 2017- Jan 2018).
Expert Advisory Group Constituted by NMBA to provide expert advice to the project team about the development of the standards for the life of the project. Membership was determined by the NMBA based on experience & expertise in the functional application & content of the standards. ACM ANMAC ANMF CATSINaM Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer Clinical midwives (1 private practice, 1 rural/remote, 1 health service) Consumer Midwifery academic NMBA members.
Observations Aim: Observe & map midwifery practice against the current National competency standards for the midwife (2006). Following consent from midwife s client s, the midwife will be observed providing support, care & advice in various models of care. Observation sample purposeful rather than representative. Observations will be conducted in major cities, inner & outer regional & remote locations as selected by the project team. Validation observations will include midwives in clinical, management, education, research & policy development roles. Total observations in both rounds = 60.
Next steps Report to NMBA on the literature review and interviews October 2016 National observations of midwives in practice Oct-Nov 2016 Preliminary consultation (NMBA invitation) March 2017 Public consultation (open access from NMBA site) July 2017.